U.S. delegation fails to secure release of Americans in Venezuela visit

Matt Spetalnick and Vivian Sequera
Updated ·3 min read

By Matt Spetalnick and Vivian Sequera

WASHINGTON/CARACAS (Reuters) -A U.S. delegation led by President Joe Biden's chief hostage negotiator ended a visit to Venezuela on Thursday after failing to secure the release of any of the Americans detained there, U.S. officials said.

Hostage affairs envoy Roger Carstens was part of a group that met Venezuelan officials this week to press for the handover of prisoners.

"The trip focused on discussions about the welfare and safety of wrongfully detained U.S. nationals in Venezuela and to press for their release," a State Department spokesperson said, adding that Carstens saw detainees to "assess their well-being."

The visit also sought to coax President Nicolas Maduro's government to restart stalled negotiations with the country's opposition, according to people familiar with the matter.

Carstens and U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela James Story were especially focused on the case of Matthew Heath, a U.S. Marine veteran hospitalized following what his family said was a suicide attempt last week after nearly two years of imprisonment.

The U.S. officials were allowed to visit Heath in a Venezuela military hospital, the sources said.

Heath is one of at least eight Americans known to be held in Venezuela. Others include five executives of Citgo Petroleum, a U.S.-based unit of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA.

Though the visit did not lead to releases, it was a fresh sign of tenuous re-engagement after years of hostilities between the United States and OPEC member Venezuela and comes as Russia's war against Ukraine has hit global oil supplies.

Talks this week with Maduro's Socialist government did not include Venezuela's oil sector, under U.S. sanctions since 2019, according to the sources.

The delegation did meet opposition leader Juan Guaido. Washington recognizes him as Venezuela's legitimate interim president, having rejected Maduro's 2018 re-election as a sham, but the Socialist leader remains in power, backed by the military as well as Russia, Cuba, China and Iran.

A statement issued on behalf of Heath's family said despite Carstens' "best efforts," the U.S. delegation "was not able to secure an emergency medical evacuation."

"We believe that Matthew's physical and mental health both continue to be at risk and are fearful he may attempt suicide again," the statement said.

Heath was arrested in 2020 on terrorism charges, which he denies. U.S. officials said Heath was not sent by Washington and have accused Venezuela of holding him on trumped-up charges.

In March, a White House-led delegation, including Carstens, met Maduro, and a potential easing of U.S. sanctions was among the topics discussed.

Venezuela soon freed two Americans - a former Citgo executive and a Cuban American – and promised to resume talks in Mexico with the opposition. But Maduro has yet to agree on a date.

Republican lawmakers and some of Biden's fellow Democrats have criticized the U.S. approach as too conciliatory toward Maduro.

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; editing by Richard Pullin and Rosalba O'Brien)

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Alberta spring signals another Oilers-Kings NHL playoff showdown

    EDMONTON — There are a few sure signs of spring in Alberta. The snow turns to slush, the Canada geese return to the ponds, lakes and streams, and the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings face each other in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. The two rivals will meet in the first round for the third season in a row, with the Oilers looking to make it a hat trick of victories. The Oilers rebounded from a 3-2 series deficit to win a seven-game thriller two seasons ago. In 2023, the

  • Best Buy Power Up Sale: Score up to 75% on top tech until Sunday — from Apple, Sony and more

    Save 100s on laptops, tablets, appliances and more during Best Buy's big sale.

  • Tesla Semi trucks in short supply for PepsiCo as its rivals use competing EV big rigs

    Key Tesla customer PepsiCo made initial payments for 100 Tesla Semis in 2017, intending to use the electric-truck fleet to haul its Cheetos, Lays potato chips and Pepsi soda pop to retailers. But according to the food-and-drinks maker and one of its executives with knowledge of the deal, PepsiCo was using only 36 of Teslas promised 100 electric trucks as of this month. The shortfall, which hasn't been previously disclosed, lays bare the challenges for Tesla as it seeks to become a high-volume player in the truck-manufacturing business.

  • Mets release New York-inspired City Connect jerseys

    Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and senior MLB analyst Jordan Shusterman react to the newly released New York Mets City Connect jerseys that pay homage to Queens and New York City. Hear the full conversation on the “Baseball Bar-B-Cast” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

  • IPO Stock Of The Week: Cava Stock Looks For Support At Key Level

    Cava stock: The Mediterranean restaurant leader is one of the best stocks to watch right now, looking for support at a key level.

  • Robert Olstein Bolsters Portfolio with a 1% Stake in The Middleby Corp

    Insights from the Olstein Financial Alert Fund's Latest 13F Filing

  • Emma Raducanu beaten by Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart Open quarter-finals as winning run ends

    Reigning world No1 eventually prevails after epic first set in Germany

  • GLOBAL MARKETS-Wall St indexes split, Treasuries dip amid earnings, geopolitical crosscurrents

    U.S. stocks were mixed on Friday and Treasury yields dipped as investors juggled lackluster earnings, uncertainties surrounding central bank policy and geopolitical strife. Gold and crude prices advanced as market participants kept an uneasy eye on unfolding turmoil in the Middle East. The Dow was the lone gainer among the three major U.S. equity indexes, while the Nasdaq, weighed down by megacap tech and tech-related momentum stocks, tumbled 2.3%.

  • Director Devin Johnson Sells 1,000 Shares of Progressive Corp (PGR)

    Director Devin Johnson has sold 1,000 shares of Progressive Corp (NYSE:PGR) on April 17, 2024, according to a recent SEC Filing.

  • FOCUS-Tesla Semi trucks in short supply for PepsiCo as its rivals use competing EV big rigs

    Key Tesla customer PepsiCo made initial payments for 100 Tesla Semis in 2017, intending to use the electric-truck fleet to haul its Cheetos, Lays potato chips and Pepsi soda pop to retailers. But according to the food-and-drinks maker and one of its executives with knowledge of the deal, PepsiCo was using only 36 of Teslas promised 100 electric trucks as of this month. The shortfall, which hasn't been previously disclosed, lays bare the challenges for Tesla as it seeks to become a high-volume player in the truck-manufacturing business.

  • Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia preview, prediction: What to expect after wild buildup

    When Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia finally end their feud with fists Saturday night, it has the potential to either be a one-sided beatdown or a surprisingly compelling matchup.

  • NHL PLAYOFFS: West best Dallas vs. defending champion Vegas headlines 1st-round matchups

    All eight first-round matchups in the NHL playoffs are set after the last day of the regular season flipped two of the biggest series in the West. The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights will open against West top seed Dallas. Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers will face the Los Angeles Kings, a team they’ve defeated each of the past two years in the same round. In the East, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers begin their championship pursuit against Washington. Cup fav

  • 90210 star Jennie Garth reveals why she married a younger man

    Jennie Garth married a younger man because she needed someone to "keep up" with her in life.

  • Pregnant Vanessa Hudgens has 'never been happier' as she falls 'even more in love' with Cole Tucker

    Vanessa Hudgens has "never been happier" since getting married and becoming pregnant as an insider claims that her husband has "never left her side" throughout the pregnancy.

  • Tori Spelling reveals Andy Cohen rejected her from Real Housewives: 'Is it because I'm BROKE?'

    Tori Spelling thinks she may have been rejected from 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' because she is "broke", just weeks after she admitted she has always struggled with managing her finances.

  • Why London remains one of Europe's best city breaks – and how plan the perfect weekend

    Having it all is most definitely a good thing but it can also be a somewhat overwhelming – where to start? London has so much to offer, for all tastes, budgets and cultural persuasions. There is proper (grisly) history, statement buildings old and new, and world-class museums housed in jaw-dropping architecture. There are wonderful parks dotted, peacefully, throughout the city, markets galore, a thriving culinary scene spanning street food, fine dining and global cuisine that rivals any city in

  • The 17 best restaurants in London

    The London restaurant scene is one of the world's best, and it runs the gamut from great British institutions that have been around for decades to trendy no-reservations spots that open faster than you can keep track of. It should come as little surprise that innovative and impressive chefs from all over the world are keen for a place at the (dinner) table here. Pull up a stool at a long steel counter to watch as Northern Thai dishes are cooked over open flames, sink into your leather booth and

  • Home Office stupidity is hindering the Ukrainians’ efforts to defend their homeland

    On a bonny day this week, we climbed the hill which looks down on the port of Dover. The sunlit coast of France was clearly visible, just the sort of weather beloved of illegal immigrants crossing from France. Indeed, 534 of them – a record – crossed in similar conditions last Sunday.

  • The best shopping in London

    It’s tough out there in retail. In order to drag people off the sofa and away from their smartphones, and tempt them out into the real world, stores in London have really started to up their game – so much so that shopping in the city is now as much an experience as it is a necessity, frequently made all the better by some artisan refreshment.

  • How Britain’s sick note culture made us the West’s most workshy nation

    It’s not an honour to which any nation would aspire but Britain can now boast of being the sick note capital of the West.